All These Little Things
by itsmereading
Summary: Bella Swan is good at being alone, secluding herself from others to keep the secret she covets from those around her. Edward Cullen is the playboy that may just break down her walls and teach her how to live freely before it's too late. A/U, All Human ********ON HIATUS******
1. Chapter 1

_**New Story! This is a work in progress, so please be patient with me for updates. Please follow/favorite and leave reviews!**_

Chapter 1

As soon as I step onto the floor I am assaulted with the pungent smell of disinfectant and rubbing alcohol. My ears are trying to become tolerant once again to the incessant noise of ringing phones, beeping IV pumps, and screaming patients. The bright overhead fluorescent lights reflect blindingly off the shining white tiles of the hallway that I drag myself down, squinting the entire way. Once I put my things away in a locker, I immediately begin to psych myself up for the upcoming night shift, attempting to take cleansing breaths. After checking the schedule and finding who I am to relieve I reluctantly leave the sanctuary of the break room.

"Bella, how was your trip?" Emmett, the charge nurse questions from behind the reception desk. I smile at the gentle giant, one of the few on this floor that is genuine.

"Big Emmett, I've missed you! Florida was good, I was so close to not coming back," I tell him, being completely honest.

"I was afraid of that, but I'm glad you're back. Lauren is ready to report off to you. I am splitting her patients between you and Leah. There is one coming up from recovery that I need you to take." I nod as I search for the older, crotchety woman. I find her in the middle of several other day-shift nurses in hushed conversation. I slowly approach her, not wanting to be caught in the wrath for interrupting their gossip session.

"Hey Lauren, I'm ready when you are," I timidly speak as I walk towards the computer on the opposite side of the hall. Lauren huffs in aggravation as she begrudgingly leaves the group. She quickly walks over, beginning the rundown on her patients. When she finishes, the older woman seeks out Leah who has subsequently taken over her position in the impromptu group. While I am looking over the patient's charts my friend Alice runs up.

"Bella, you will never believe what went down last night!" the pixie-like waif excitedly relays. I cannot help but laugh at my friend's exuberance as she bounces up and down in front of me.

"Nice to see you too, Alice. My trip? Oh, it was good, thanks for asking," I sigh as It's obvious that Alice is clearly not interested in hearing about my break.

"Yeah, yeah. I will get to that later. Your favorite person- "she is abruptly cut off by Emmett calling my name, motioning me over to him.

"Sorry Alice, you'll have to fill me in later." She scowls as I walk away. I notice that the floor is emitting an eerie vibe as I walk towards Emmett. When I reach him, he sighs and rubs his hands over his face, then looks me in the eye.

"Bella, I need to ask you something and I need an honest answer." I find myself frowning, wondering what exactly he needs to know that would cause him to act this way.

"Have you ever been in a relationship with Edward Cullen from the pharmacy?" I instantly pale, then laugh in his face. Most of the staff know that I am in a minority of women at this hospital that has not entertained the philandering idiot from the second floor.

"I knew that, but I still had to ask. Since you clearly haven't been tangled up with him, I have to assign you to his case. He will be up shortly from recovery. He was in an accident last night and will be on the floor for a few days. I was hard-pressed to find anyone who would and could care for him." His words slap me in the face, effectively ending my laughter. The shock of his revelation crushes upon me as my mouth hangs open. There is no way that I want to be in the same room with that imbecile, none the less must take care of him. As I repeat Emmett's words to myself again, I realize that he has unknowingly given me an out. He said the magic word, "would." My heart leaps as there might just be a way out of this.

"Emmett, you said you couldn't find anyone who would take care of him. I refuse. You better start hunting down someone else, call them in if you have to," I defiantly tell him, trying to hurry away before he can guilt me into taking over Edward's care.

"Wait a minute! I am your superior. You are the only one on duty that does not have a history with this guy. I know he is an absolute turd, but he deserves the same level of care as anyone else here, right?" I reluctantly shake my head in agreeance with him while my eyes are trained on the floor. I also know that he has just successfully wrangled me into having to deal with my worst nightmare.

"Before you go any further into your personalized guilt trip, I just want it noted that I despise him and everything he stands for and I will not enjoy my shift tonight!" I mouth off, turning to walk away from Emmett's chuckling as I grunt in frustration. The other nurses look at me with pity as they line the hallway, watching as I walk to the break room. Once I close the door, an involuntary yell springs forth from my mouth but I cannot find it in me to care who might be in the room. After a few minutes of composing myself, I leave and return to reviewing the other patients' charts again.

I'm on edge, my heartbeat increasing and stomach twisting every time I hear the elevator doors open. Eventually, the elevator betrays me. There he is, the bane of my existence. Edward Cullen, even his name is pretentious. His name sounds like he could be a character in a soap opera, but instead, he is the lothario of Saints Memorial Hospital, lying on a gurney being wheeled to a room on the floor that I am assigned to this evening. I sit behind the reception desk, staring at him through the doorway of his room. I am unfortunately privy to his loathsome ways. He has made a habit of dating various female staff of the hospital. His modus operandi has never changed. He starts on the first floor, working his way up to the ninth floor then went back down again. The vicious cycle repeating over and over again. To the outsider, it would seem as if he had perfected this way of life into a sport. He was never without arm candy. As he grew tired of his current "flavor of the moment" he would simply move on to the next floor to find his next conquest. He made a point of never being single. He just seamlessly transitioned from one woman to the next.

I consider myself blessed to be one of the few women who work at this hospital to have been born with a moral compass and has not succumbed to his so-called charming ways. This was, in itself, not lost on him. It only fueled him to relentlessly pursue me since I'm part of a small number of women who had not caved to his whims. That is why, at this moment, I am dreading walking into the room to assume his care. I can only pray to begin vomiting, just to be able to have an excuse to go back home and not have to put up with the vain man held hostage in room 419. I'm awakened out of my lovely daydream of sickness by Alice, who is on the floor to take a patient down to radiology.

"Bella, how happy are you that you get Señor Sleaze all to yourself tonight?" I can only sigh as I roll my eyes at the radiological technician. Alice is only too happy to make light of the situation since she also refused any patient care for him. She had an unfortunate experience with him last year that resulted in a broken heart, strictly on her end.

"Oh, so happy. Thank goodness, he is still unconscious, hopefully, he will stay that way all night. The recovery nurse said that I should expect to have only minimal contact if any with him tonight. He is sedated, so fingers crossed I will have smooth sailing."

"You know you would have enjoyed giving that halfwit an enema," Alice laughs as I give her a look of horror.

"Sorry! Have you heard what happened to him yet?" Alice questions as I shake my head.

"He was busted leaving with Jessica by Tanya. Tanya was so out of her mind in love with him that she just snapped when she found out that he was cheating on her with her best friend. She mowed him down with her car in the parking lot. Serves him right, finally got what he had coming to him."

"What! The Bobbsey twins are now at odds with each other! I thought they shared everything, guess I was wrong," we both laugh at this. It is common knowledge that Jessica and Tanya, who we had dubbed the "Bobbsey twins" do everything together. They may work on separate floors, but they are always seen together in the halls. They coordinate their hairstyles, clothes, and schedules to be just alike. I have to hand it to Tanya, I didn't think the dense woman was capable of a thought without the help of her friend.

Unfortunately, when I can no longer put it off any longer, I slowly make my way to his room.

"Please don't wake up. Please don't wake up," I nervously, but quietly whisper to myself as I tiptoe around his bed. I try to be as gentle as I can while taking his vital signs, praying that he will stay asleep so that I won't have to deal with him.

This becomes a habit as I repeat the same actions for the next three nights. Praying and tiptoeing around the idiot in the bed. Fortunately, his injuries are quite extensive, resulting in his unconscious state for the past few days. I have had to empty his catheter bag, chest tube drainage system, dress his wounds and regrettably check him for pressure wounds. The accident caused him to have a broken right foot, punctured lung, concussion, and various lacerations needing sutures on his arms, trunk, and face. Just as I am finishing changing his bedding after bathing him, I hear a voice that causes me to freeze.

"Hey gorgeous," he rasps out as I visibly cringe, my breath caught in my throat. I ever so slowly turn towards him to find that he is eyeing my figure with a smirk on his face.

"Go back to sleep, you aren't missing anything," I softly plead with him as I continue to tuck his sheets in. "Now what fun would that be? I can think of better things to do than sleep, can't you Pollyanna?"

I turn to him again, knowing my face is mirroring the disgust I feel for the man. "Mr. Cullen, please refrain from speaking to me like that. I am here to ensure that you don't have any problems with your injuries healing and don't die. Why don't you make it easier on both of us by going back to sleep, hmm? I would hate to have to call Big Emmett to take over your care tonight, wouldn't you?" I smile sweetly at him while enjoying watching him shudder.

"You wouldn't really do that to me, would you? I know we often don't see eye to eye, but you wouldn't call Emmett in, would you?"

"Oh, Mr. Cullen, who do you think would have to bathe you? If you keep talking to me like that, Big Emmett would have to become your nurse, especially since you have gone through most of the female staff on this floor so they won't touch you. That only leaves Big Emmett, who I believe will be more than happy to take care of you considering you dated his sister from 5 East." The scowl on his face is rewarding enough for having to be his nurse. He is showing the range of emotions that he is surely going through while listening to me relay this information.

"Fair point. Who took care of me in surgery or recovery? With any luck, it was a new nurse."

"Don't worry, it was Ethel. She gave you an enema and a catheter. She really praised your physique, maybe you should ask her out next," I innocently tell him while smiling brightly at his grimace.

"I guess I deserve that, but at least someone is impressed with me. Guess you are the only one left I need to charm, right?" I cannot control my temper, nor tongue any longer.

I lean over him with a sugary smile still on my face. His eyebrows lift in surprise, thinking that I am actually going to give in to him when I begin my rant. "You know what, Edward Cullen? I don't feel the slightest bit sorry for you. Your treatment of women finally caught up with you. You of all people should have known better than to try to date the "Bobbsey twins" at the same time without them finding out. When you went out with Jessica did you really think that Tanya would just lie back and take it? Do you know that most of the women in this hospital have sent her flowers when they found out that she ran you down with her Volvo? You think you are so special, mister big shot pharmacist. You really think that you are beyond reproof, don't you?"

Edward awkwardly attempts to sit up in the bed, trying to get in position to defend himself against the cold hard facts that I'm throwing at him, plus my index finger that is poking him in the chest. My filter is now non-existent as my voice grows louder with each accusation. He does not look guilty though, in fact, he looks smug. He seems proud of what he has done to these poor women, which only makes my anger level rise.

"Stop moving and get that look off your face! Aren't you just a little bit sorry for what you have done?" I ask exasperatedly. I huff in frustration and angrily push the hair that has fallen out of my messy bun back from my face.

He looks down at his hands, his fingers playing with the loose threads of the scratchy, blue blanket that is draped over his body. His lips pucker and eyebrows furrow, showing that he is deep in thought. I believe that I finally have him where I want him. Now he must acknowledge his wrongdoings and maybe even start apologizing to the countless women of this hospital for his behavior toward them.

He takes a deep breath as he lifts his azure eyes to me, his countenance now steady. "Well, Miss Goody two shoes, do you honestly think that I make promises to any of the women I date? Every woman is made fully aware that I am not looking for a relationship of any kind. The fault lies with them entirely. They force themselves to believe that they will be "the one" to reform me of my ways. As soon as I can tell that is where they are headed, I move on to someone else. Now that you have been enlightened, I would like to go back to sleep." He turns his head away from her, closing his eyes as he sighs deeply. I stand dumbfounded at his bedside. His disclosures replaying over in my head.

I remain stunned as I quickly exit his room, leaving the door ajar. I quickly begin to engage to myself with my other patients in a poor attempt to distract from Edward's confession. His words still weigh heavy on me as I leave the floor after the shift ends. On the bright side, I now have the next few days off. I sigh hoping that Edward will be released by the time I report back again. Ultimately, all I can do is hope.


	2. Chapter 2

**_All characters belong to S. Meyer, I'm just playing with them. Don't forget to leave me some love!_**

My nap is rudely interrupted by the incessant ringing of my phone, perched on the table beside my bed. I dumbly answer it without first checking to see who it is.

I sigh loudly into the phone, but before I can speak the caller begins talking in a rushed tone.

"Bella, it's Emmett. I need you to come work overtime. I don't have anyone that can come. Can you be here in an hour? Lauren said she can stay until you get here, but only if it's in an hour."

"Huh? Who is this?" I am having a tough time understanding the conversation, it feels like this is a bad dream that I cannot wake from.

"Bella, wake up. It is Emmett. I need you to come to work. Be here in an hour. Do you understand?" Emmett states slowly, clearly perturbed.

I slowly rise to a sitting position, letting the soft gray blanket fall to my lap. I rub my free hand over my face as I ponder what he is asking.

"Emmett, why do I have to come in? If you say because of Edward I will hang up right now!"

Emmett exhales loudly into the receiver. I shiver, knowing the answer to my question without having to hear his words.

"Bella, please do this for me. I got you approved for overtime. I even arranged it so that he will be your only patient tonight. I really need for you to come in," he pleads.

This cannot be happening. Why does that fool have to ruin everything! I cannot even enjoy my nap, let alone my day off without having to deal with that jerk. I decide that I need to get something out of this deal besides overtime pay.

"Fine, but you have to arrange it with the higher ups to lessen my time on the floor for my loan repayment. I'm serious, you do that for me and I will help you out." The contract I signed when I was hired stipulated that I had to work for three years on the Med/Surg unit in order for them to forgive my student loans. I had one year left and I was itching to get as far away from that unit as I could.

"I can possibly do that. Edward has undoubtedly dated someone from accounting, so it shouldn't be too hard to arrange something. I'll have a definite answer on it tomorrow, but in the meantime, I'll see you in an hour," with that he hung up as I threw myself face down onto my pillow, moaning. Fantastic, I had a whole night squarely centered around the narcissistic Edward Cullen.

* * *

I forcefully open the door to his room, entering without acknowledging him. I purposefully walk straight to the computer in his room and begin to review his chart from the earlier shift. He watches me silently. I can feel that he is studying me carefully. We have not spoken to each other since our argument yesterday. I was hoping to move forward from that since he knew exactly what I thought of him. Surely, he isn't dumb enough to try to hit on me anymore. I continue to refuse to acknowledge his presence. I know that I'm being childish, but I really don't want to have anything to do with him.

I am hauled from my ornery behavior by the blaring alarm of his heart monitor. I automatically turn to him with my stethoscope in hand to find that he is gripping at his chest, breathing harshly.

"Edward, deep breaths. Deep breaths. Stay with me," I tell him in a tranquil, even voice. His red face full of panic and pain. He suddenly reaches out with one hand and grasps tightly to my wrist. His other hand is tightly gripping the rail of his bed. I reach over him with my free hand to activate the call light, which was answered within moments.

"How may I help you?" came over harshly through the speaker.

"It's Bella, I need you to page the doctor on call to Cullen's room. I think he is having a cardiac event. I need Emmett paged in here also, STAT."

I focus my attention back to Edward. His knuckles are white from the tight grip that he still has on his bed and my wrist. I place my hand gently on top of his, trying to calm him. He opens his eyes, looking at me. I smile as I squeeze his hand in comfort.

"Edward, the doctor is on his way. Hang in there, okay? Everything is going to be fine. I'm not going anywhere, you are stuck with me. Lucky you, right?" I chuckle. Edward tries to crack a grin, but his pain is too much.

"What, no lame comment? I think I'm getting gypped, I'm not getting the full Edward Cullen experience. I even left my comment wide open for you, and nothing! I figured that even you couldn't resist an inappropriate comeback."

The door is hastily opened as Dr. Volturi and several nurses enter the room.

"Nurse, what's going on here?" the ever-arrogant physician asks. Dr. Volturi is well known for treating all medical staff as inferior. He has never bothered to learn any of our names, even though we have worked with him for years.

"Mr. Cullen began having a possible cardiac event. His B/P is 184/102, pulse is 110. He is experiencing chest pain, is unable to speak and is having shortness of breath. His symptoms began approximately five minutes ago and haven't lessened," I relay as Dr. Volturi studies the heart monitor.

"It doesn't appear to be his heart, looks like he is having an anxiety attack. Push Ativan, page me if he doesn't improve," Dr. Volturi states as he walks out of the crowded room. Edward still has a hold of me, which everyone in the room has noticed. Emmett injects the medication into Edward's IV, almost instantly relieving his symptoms. Edward's breathing slows, as does his heart rate. His grip on me loosens as his face relaxes. I absently begin rubbing my wrist as he releases me.

"Geez, you have a death grip. Did they teach you that in pharmacy school? You know what? Don't answer that, I don't want to know," I tell him as I look down at his face. He flirtatiously smiles back, opening his mouth to say something crass I'm sure.

"Don't misunderstand my kindness. I still do not like you, at all. I was simply doing my job," I state as I look away from him to study the heart monitor.

"Your heart rate is 86, blood pressure is within normal limits. What is your pain on a scale of zero to ten?" I ask without looking at him.

"It's a one or two, before it was a fifteen," Edward rasps out.

"I think Dr. Personality was right about the anxiety. Do you have a history of anxiety problems?" I question him while typing my notes in his chart.

He clears his throat and watches as everyone files out of his room. I look at him, awaiting his answer.

"I did in pharmacy school, but not since then. I haven't had an attack in years," he answers honestly while running his hands over his face. This was the first time that I have seen him act in a normal manner. He was being what I guessed was himself, without the pretenses he usually throws around. His hands fall back to his lap as he catches me looking at him.

"Take a picture sweetheart, it will last longer. I'll even buy you a frame if you're nice."

There it is, the jerk. I knew he couldn't be a decent human being for very long.

"Shut up and go to sleep," I scoff. He chuckles as I turn to leave.

When I arrive at the nurse's station I notice that I seem to be the center of unwanted attention. Several nurses including Emmett are staring at me, which makes me extremely uncomfortable.

"What?" I shyly ask while blushing.

Emmett speaks up, the unofficial representative for the catty group assembled before me. "Bella, what's going on with you and Cullen? You were uncommonly nice to him. You're not going to the dark side, are you? Did he finally wear you down? I knew I should have been checking on you more than I have."

I'm blindsided with this. My mouth drops open in surprise, and anger. "How can you think that? Isn't my job to calm my patient and try to keep their condition from deteriorating further? I was simply trying to distract him from what was going on in a semi-professional manner. Shame on you for thinking that I'm batting for his team now! How can you think so little of me?" Emmett's words truly cut me to the core and made me think about how I acted just now in Edward's room.

"Bris, we are just looking out for you. You are like the little sister we actually wanted. We just don't want to see you fall into his trap. You know that, right?" Emmett pleads as he gestures to the other nurses behind him. I look past him, scanning the faces of the group, but I don't see anything but gossips who are trying to get their stories right for when the next shift comes in.

I sigh as I walk toward the break room, "Sure Emmett, whatever you say."


	3. Chapter 3

**S. Meyer owns the characters, I'm just playing...leave me some love, please!**

* * *

Out of desperation, I hide in Edward's room while he is sleeping to avoid Penny who insists that I help with her patient since I have only one patient myself. I quietly close the door, knowing that Penny would never guess to check this room for me. I justify being in Edward's room by checking his IV and chart again before I take a seat in the corner to peruse my social media. The moment I sit, the weight of the night falls upon me. I sigh deeply, forgetting where I am. I nervously look at the bed to find a pair of emerald eyes staring at me.

"Sorry, I forgot where I was for a moment. I didn't mean to wake you."

He continues to curiously look at me before he speaks.

"Well, well, if it isn't the good girl, finally come to beg for me?" he suggestively asks while wiggling his eyebrows. I scowl back at him as I begin playing with the tubes of his catheter. He quickly sobers, all flirting gone as he clears his throat.

"Not a problem, all I do is sleep in here. Why are you hiding out in here of all places?"

"Penny's not happy that you are my only patient and is insistent that I help with her patient that has explosive diarrhea. I figured she would never think to look for me in here. I can leave though, I have other hiding places."

A wide smile graces his face as he laughs at my expense. I instantly feel defensive, thinking of ways to lash out at him.

"You know what? Just forget it, I'm leaving."

Edward begins to shake his head as his laughter quiets down.

"No, don't do that. I just thought it was funny that you of all people are avoiding helping someone. That's like, your motto, right? Help everyone no matter what? That is what everyone says about you. They seek you out because they know you won't tell them no. The perfect Pollyanna."

I look down at my phone, surprised that people actually talk about me and for that matter, even know who I am.

"People actually talk about me? I thought I kept a low profile. What else do they say?" I ask, looking from my screen to him, thoroughly intrigued.

Edward sits up further in the bed as I scoot my chair closer to him, wanting to hear everything he has to say.

"Well, they say that you're a nice person but stay to yourself. You don't go out with everyone after work, you don't curse or say anything negative," I nod, encouraging him to continue.

He looks toward the door then leans closer to me. "They also say that you should go on a date with me when I get released." He sits back as he wiggles his eyebrows at me. I huff loudly while rolling my eyes.

"You are such a turd, you know that right? Do you think that you could stop with the come-ons? I'm exhausted because I'm the only one on the night shift that can work with you. I just want to rest for just a moment, can you let me do that please?"

"You must really be tired or else you would have thrown something at my head by now. I tell you what, you can hide out in here if you will get me a burger and fries. I can't handle this stuff they call food anymore. What do you say, Pollyanna? Food in exchange for a hideout?"

"Something must be seriously wrong for me to even be considering this. I'll agree to all of this only if you stop with the innuendos and the Pollyanna junk. The second you say something inappropriate or insinuate anything the deal is over. You got me, Cullen?" I demand as I point my finger at him. He chuckles again as he gives me a salute.

"Scouts honor Bella. Now go get me some food, please! I can't eat this slop," he tells me as he lifts the lid on his tray. I grimace as I look at his plate.

"You know, your food looks just like what Penny wanted to clean up from her patient. He was actually sitting in it as he ate this exact food," I tell him quite proudly for having caused the putrid look that he is now sporting.

"Bella, come on! I thought we were friends. That was just cruel and nauseating. Take this with you when you leave to get my burger please!" he pleads as he blindly hands me his tray.

"Oh, we aren't friends. I'm just using you to get out of work. I'll return with food," I laugh as I leave.

* * *

"I will never underappreciate decent food ever again! Bella, I could marry you. You saved me, I guess more than once today," Edward tells me as he inhales the final bite of his burger.

"Don't talk about marriage and me in the same breath, and stop talking with food in your mouth.'

"Sorry. I didn't realize you were Miss Manners too," he says clearly put off by my demand. "What's so wrong with me that the mention of marriage is so vulgar to you?"

I look up from my phone and give him my best-disgusted look. "You cannot be serious right now! Your question is not even worthy of my response. Now be quiet so I can enjoy my hiding spot," I spit at him.

"No, I want to talk. I haven't had anyone to talk with. So, how old are you and where are you from?" Edward asked as it is clear that he isn't going to leave me alone.

I turned off my phone, rolling my eyes again at him. "Are we really doing this? Fine. I'm twenty-four and from Gainesville, Florida. Where are you from and how old are you?"

"Do you have a nervous tic or something?" he questions.

"What are you talking about?" I ask him, confused.

"You keep rolling your eyes whenever I talk. I assume it is some sort of disorder. But back to me, I'm thirty-one and from St. Louis, Missouri. How did you get to Oklahoma?"

"I do not have a disorder. If you want to label yourself as an annoyance, then yes, I have a disorder. It's called being intolerant of annoying people," I tell him as he grins, clearly amused by our bantering.

"I went to school at Midwestern in Norman and got tricked into working at this hospital so that they would forgive my student loans. I have one year left on this floor, thank goodness. I have not decided if I'm going to stay here or move back home when my contract is up. There really isn't anything keeping me here," I answer honestly.

Edward clutches at his hospital gown, showing distress. Alarmed, I jump to my feet to check his vitals, thinking he is having another anxiety attack. "You wound my heart, Bella! You could always stay for me," he laughs. I slap his shoulder, which really sets off his laughter.

"You turd! Do not do that to me! Remember where you are and that I have access to very large needles. Stop being a doof! Now, tell me how you got here from Missouri."

"Fine, fine! Truce, all right? I will be good, I promise. I went to school at Midwestern also. It was the first school with the pharmacy program to accept me. After I said yes, the other offers came rolling in but they were too late."

"Did you always want to be a pharmacist?"

"Yeah, I mean I wanted to be a doctor but wasn't committed to being in school for that many years. I graduated at twenty-four able to make a good salary and still be in the medical field. Why did you want to be a nurse?"

"I like to help people and care for them. My dad was sick as I was growing up, so being a nurse just made sense. Did you actually want to be a doctor?"

Edward looks at me with a questioning expression. "What was wrong with your dad?"

I shake my head at him, upset that I let that slip as I was talking to him. I'm just finding it so easy to talk with him at the moment and I became too comfortable. "I don't like to talk about it, but I did ask you a question," quickly deflecting his question.

"So you did, but don't think that I'll forget about your dad. Well, my parents are doctors so it kind of runs in the family. My dad is a neurologist and mom is a pediatrician. My older brother is making them proud, however, he is finishing his neurology residency in New York. I'm the embarrassment, or the black sheep of the family, whichever way you want to look at it," he says with a hostile tone.

"Why would being a pharmacist be an embarrassment? You make a good living, right? You got accepted into a competitive program and passed. That's reason enough to be proud," I tell him, surprising myself with being irritated with his parents.

"In the Cullen household, if you aren't a doctor you are a nobody. I've always been an outsider with my family from as early as I can remember. My parents were not home enough to even know me. My brother is two years older than me and we have nothing in common, we never did really. He was studious and level-headed. I was always seeking adventure and fun. He is definitely my parents favorite, I'm just tolerated. As soon as I graduated high school, I packed my bags and came here. I like the distance from my family here and I know they will never visit because they never have. They didn't even show up for my graduation from Midwestern. So, you know a lot about me now, tell me more about you."

"Edward, I'm sorry about your parents. My parents are far too involved in my life. Moving out of easy distance was logical. I knew that if I stayed near Florida that they would constantly pop in or follow me around. Fortunately, they don't like Oklahoma. They come to visit a few times a year, and I go back home at least once a year. My older sister still lives in Gainesville, two blocks from them. She and her husband just had their first baby, so my parents will probably skip coming up this year. Enough about me, let's start asking corny questions like favorite color and movie. You go first," I plead, desperate not to talk about my family anymore.

"Well Auntie, my favorite color is yellow, and I like too many movies to narrow it down to just one," he smiles. As I open my mouth to speak again, the overhead page goes off.

"Bella Swan, please report to the fourth-floor nurse's station. Thank you," a shrill voice announces overhead.

"Well, I guess my break is over. Thanks for helping me pass the time turd," I smile at him.

"Anytime Auntie Polly," he quickly responds while grinning.

I leave his room, my mind full of questioning thoughts about the man that is lying in the bed. Could I have misjudged him? Maybe he isn't as shallow and callous as I have thought. I decide that only time will tell, but I'm not about to let my guard down with him.


	4. Chapter 4

_**This is short but sweet. Enjoy!**_

 _ **I own everything but the characters, S. Meyer has that privilege.**_

The day has finally arrived. The day that Edward Cullen will be released from my floor and I finally have a few days off. Emmett came through with the accounting department and got my contract shortened by six months. I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it's glorious. Now I'm only truly concerned with the pros and cons list I've been toying with about staying in Oklahoma.

"Bella, are you sad that your newest friend will be leaving you? You know, he will probably act like you don't exist once he is released. You can go back to your dull life and he can go back to his ways as well," Penny states, a matter of factly.

With the knowledge that I have six months left here, my peaceful countenance falters. I turn to her and sweetly reply.

"Oh, Penny. Please don't be jealous of me, it doesn't look good on you. Is this little outburst of yours because I would not do your job for you a few days ago? I can tell by your expression it is. Bless your heart. Well, if it makes you feel better to act like a total fool, go on ahead I will not stop you. In fact, I will help you out," I tell her as I turn to our co-workers who are now very interested in our exchange.

I clear my throat before calling out with a raised voice, "Attention everyone, Penny is jealous of my strictly platonic relationship with Edward Cullen. The same Edward Cullen that dated her and left her last year before he moved on to someone else. Just to reiterate, I am in a platonic relationship with Edward Cullen. We have an understanding and I hope you all can keep your horrid opinions to yourselves about it. Now, does anyone have any questions?" I finish, feeling unusually confident. I take in the other staff member's facial expressions, it is truly priceless. They range from shock to anger to amusement. As what I just said actually sets in, I'm surprised with the sound of hands clapping. I turn in my chair to see Edward standing at the nurse's station, clapping with a huge grin on his face. Everyone else turns toward him after seeing me do so.

"Well, I might as well die now. I do not think I have ever had anyone stand up for me before, especially someone who does not even like me. Now I have seen it all, I can die in peace now," he laughs, flashing a blinding smile while shaking his head.

"What are you standing up here for, go home," I tell him as I reach for the wheelchair to escort him out.

"Yes ma'am, anything you say," Edward responds as he quickly maneuvers himself into the chair. As we enter the elevator I glance back at the nurses' station to find that everyone is still staring at us. I smile at them as the door closes. Edward looks up at me, making me feel self-conscious.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Edward gives me a soft smile as he softly shakes his head. "No reason Bella. You just never cease to amaze me." We continue to silently stare at each other until the door opens once again.

* * *

I arrive back at work a week later, after a much-deserved uninterrupted break. I am determined not to let the opinions of the petty staff I work with affect my mood today. I am on the countdown for this floor, less than six months remaining. I have decided that if an opening comes up for the mother/baby unit I will apply, if not I will begin to look at other hospitals in the tri-state area to apply to. I do not want to return to Florida, there is too much history there for me to go back. I have not dealt with everything that happened there thoroughly yet. Every time I return, the pain intensifies.

"Well, looks like it's the first day back for both of us, right Polly?" a voice I know softly tells me in my ear. I gasp as I turn my head to find Edward Cullen standing next to me with a smirk on his face.

"Why are you here? Aren't you day shift?" I question. He shakes his head.

"I switched with Heather. She just had a baby and her husband works nights, so she asked if I would switch with her so that someone would always be home with the baby. See, I can be a nice guy," he replies, giving me an innocent look.

"I can't believe you would consent to the night shift with no strings attached. What was the trade-off Heather is great, but I can't believe she would seek you out to ask about a trade."

"Ah, you're wrong Bella. She is my friend, probably my best friend. She has always been there for me and when I had an opportunity to return the favor I jumped at it. Besides, I'm kind of partial to this one nurse with messy hair that works on this floor at night." He said as he walked away, turning around once to wink at me. I stood rooted to the floor, my mouth hanging open watching him walk down the hall.

I tried to push what Edward told me from my mind as I went through the motions of my shift. I pondered if I had made an epic mistake by being nice to the philandering pharmacist. Surely, just being nice to him wasn't enough to spur him into thinking he had a chance of winning me over. My daydream was interrupted by Alice who had arrived to take my patient down for a cat scan.

"Girl, you are out of it. I have been calling your name for like five minutes. What is going on, are you okay?" she asks me, her voice laced with worry.

"Yeah, just have a lot on my mind," I honestly tell her. I do have a lot on my plate, between deciding if I am staying here and my worries over Edward.

"Did you hear that Edward switched with Heather and he will now be with us on nights? I guess he ran out of day shift women or he is trying to avoid the Bobbsey twins. Regardless, we are now stuck with him, yeah for us," Alice sarcastically tells me.

"How do you know he traded because of his social life? Heather just had the baby, maybe he was just being nice when he traded."

Alice stops what she is doing and stares at me with wide eyes, making me uneasy. Just as I'm about to question her when a code blue alarms. I rush to find that my patient is the cause of it. I don't even notice anyone else in the room as it fills with doctors and nurses.

"Mrs. Barnes, can you hear me? Mrs. Barnes if you can hear me, squeeze my fingers," I demand in a loud, clear voice. The people in the room and I move in a way to rival a ballet. All of us seemingly glide from place to place, grabbing medications and various machines in order to regain the sweet lady lying in the bed before us. Soon the attempt proves futile and her time of death is called, despite all our efforts. One by one her room empties, leaving me alone with the task of preparing her for her family to come to say goodbye. This is the part of the job that I hate the most. I can handle bodily fluids being thrown on me, but to tell a family that their loved one didn't make it is one of the most painful things I have to endure. As I imagine the phone call that I will soon have to make, I feel a soft touch to my cheek. I gasp and look up to find Edward standing across from me, his face mirroring mine in grief. He had gently wiped away a stray tear that had escaped my eye. I had not even realized that he was in the room during the code, nonetheless stayed behind after everyone else had left.

"What are you doing here?" I quietly ask.

"You seemed to take this one harder than others I've seen. I thought you might need me, but if you would rather have me leave I can," he said as he looked me in the eye.

"You can stay," I whispered to him as I went back to work. He stayed close by, silently helping me. I caught a few glances at him as we worked in synch with one another. I noticed how his light brown hair spackled with reddish tones was mused, and how it shined in the overhead light. His brow wrinkled in concentration as he focused on the job at hand. It was in that moment that I realized that if I wasn't careful, I would be another victim of his ruthless ways.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Sorry for the delay in posting. Hope you enjoy. Again, all characters belong to S. Meyer, I'm just having fun.**_

* * *

The following weeks find me desperately trying to avoid Edward Cullen at all costs. If I saw him in a hallway I would automatically turn around. If he entered a room, I would leave. My efforts in avoiding him did not go unnoticed. The rumor mill was put into high alert with ridiculous stories of the lothario finally wearing me down long enough to break my heart. Penny especially enjoyed making up frivolous tales about me to spread to others on the floor. I, in turn, ignored everyone and threw myself further into my work, deciding to keep my head down until my contract ends.

"Bella, did something happen between you and Edward? I thought you were becoming friends, but you seem to be ignoring him," Alice asks one day unexpectedly. I stop what I am doing to give her my full attention.

"Nothing happened, honest. I just decided it was best if we were not friends. I don't want people to get the wrong idea about us and that is the easiest way to stop it, or so I thought," I told her as I threw an ugly glance toward Penny.

"You can't let these hags dictate who you should be friends with. They will find something else to spread about you, do not worry. You work with the worst bunch of gossips in the hospital," she laughed then leaned in closer. "You know, Edward asked me if he had done something to upset you. He seems worried about you, he asked me to check up on you since you are avoiding him."

I looked down, ashamed of my actions. "I'm not trying to actively avoid him, I'm just trying to not be around him."

"Bell, that's the same thing. Look, as much as I dislike him, I think you should talk to him. He seems to have changed. He has not dated anyone since his accident and he is actually decent enough to be around. Get this, he has even started apologizing to the women he dated, myself included. Maybe a brush with a Volvo puts things into perspective." With that Alice smiled, then left me to stew on what she relayed to me. Was Edward Cullen really changing? Was it because of what I told him or was it that his conscious was finally winning out?

A cup of coffee was placed directly in front of me while I sat at the nurses' station after Alice left. I assumed it was her, back to quiz me more about Edward.

"Thanks, Alice, you always know what I need," I sighed as I clasped the warm cup between my hands.

"You're welcome, but I would prefer if you didn't call me Alice." I quickly looked up to find Edward smiling over me.

"You brought me coffee?"

"Yeah, Alice said that was a sure way to your heart. I thought you might stay put for a moment to talk if I brought a peace offering," he said as he gestured toward the cup. A sense of dread overwhelmed me as I realized that Alice had set me up.

"Why do you think you needed to bring a peace offering? I'm not upset with you," I told him while evading eye contact.

"Come on Bella, you really expect me to believe that? You have been dodging me for weeks, and right now you won't even look at me," he said exasperatedly.

I quickly look around to find that we are the center of attention for the gossip mongers. I stand and grab his arm, leading him down the hall to the break room. Once we were safely away from prying eyes I try to quickly think of something to say to appease him.

"Look, Edward, I don't really think we should be friends," I softly tell him, not really knowing anyway else to say it to him. I slowly look up to see him looking at me dejectedly.

"I guess I need more of an explanation. Did I do something to offend you? I have really been trying to change and to right my wrongs. I thought you would appreciate that, but I must have misjudged everything."

I took a deep breath, looking up at him again. "Edward, I just don't want to start new relationships, regardless if it's just friends, knowing that I will probably be leaving in five months when my contract is up. I am proud of you though, I am happy that you are changing for the better. I wish you all the best, but I just can't," I'm not even able to complete my thought, the feeling of shame so overwhelming at the moment. I have just given him the worst cop out of all time. I am sure he can sense the fear oozing from me.

"So that's it? Are you going to leave and just cut everyone out of your life before then? I would never have guessed you would stoop that low Bella," he tells me as he shakes his head in disbelief.

I shudder due to his intense look of disgust that he is aiming at me. I take a shaky breath, ready to defend myself as he begins to lightly chuckle, throwing me off guard.

"You know what? It does not matter at all to me that you may be leaving soon. I like you. I want to see where this goes, be it friends or more. You are the first person, besides Heather, that does not put up with me and puts me in my place. So, Bella Swan, consider this challenge accepted. You will now be seeing a lot more of me, get ready sweetheart," he said as he swiftly exited the room, leaving me to drown in my thoughts.

* * *

Inevitably, Edward stayed true to his word. He seemed to be everywhere. He was quickly becoming friends with everyone, winning them over with his wit and lighthearted appeal. I tried to stay in the shadows, choosing to observe from a distance, but that was not to be. At every opportunity, he was there. He would bring me coffee or food every shift we worked together. It was becoming increasingly more difficult to ignore this man, but I was not straying from what I had told him that day in the breakroom. My life was more complicated than simply changing jobs, there was so much more going on that no one knew about.

I clocked out at the end of my shift and promptly psyched myself up, knowing Edward would be waiting just outside the door of the breakroom to escort me to my car. As I opened the door panic struck, he was not in his usual place. I turned from side to side looking for him, but the hallway was empty. A sense of melancholy raced through my veins. Had he finally given up? Why was I sad about this, isn't it what I wanted all along? I shook my head, trying to clear the ideas floating about me.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that you missed me," an all too familiar smug voice spoke aloud. I turned to find Edward casually strolling toward me, exuding a certain swagger like he finally caught me in something.

"Oh, there you _aren't_. I wasn't looking for you, I was actually relieved that you weren't here," I tell him, trying to steady my voice so I wouldn't show the excitement I was feeling. I can't believe my body is betraying me like this. My head is yelling one thing, but my body is obviously saying something else.

"That's funny, cause from my vantage point it appeared that you were looking for me. It's okay if you don't want to admit it to yourself now, you will eventually," he stated while shrugging his shoulders, walking past me to the elevator. The adrenalin coursing through my veins due to my anger was causing me to both shake and sweat. I hate the effect this man has on me. I am still determined not to succumb to his charm, unlike so many others before me. I stopped mid-stride hoping he will notice so that I can speak my mind.

"Edward Cullen just go away and leave me alone! You are making my decision to leave all that much simpler. You will never win at whatever game you are trying to suck me into. I have more respect for myself than to give in to whatever you are trying to pull. Just forget about this and call off this stupid challenge you have created. If you don't, I will." He stood motionless, his back facing me. I can tell that he is taking deep breaths, hopefully pondering my outburst. I smirk to myself, thinking I have finally won the battle. Edward slowly turns around, still standing in the same spot that he has been for the last few moments. His face doesn't betray his thoughts, unlike mine. He looks me up and down before answering me.

"Bella, are you coming or what? I'm hangry, someone better feed this ol' boy."

I stand slack-jawed gawking after his retreating form. It's obvious that I'm fighting a losing battle. It never occurred to me that he was actually in this to win. Eventually, I regain my composure, slowly following him to the awaiting elevator. The silence in the small capsule is stifling. Edward speaks aloud after a moment.

"So, I heard that there is an opening soon on the labor and delivery unit. I talked to Alicia and she said for you to get with her soon to talk about it," he states, never turning to look at me. I stand shocked by this revelation.

"How did you know I wanted to transfer to that unit? The only person I told was …" Of course, I immediately knew who had betrayed me. I knew she wanted me to stay, I just didn't realize at what cost.

"Alice told me. Looks like there are a number of people here that want you to stay, present company included," Edward declares while watching me with his piercing green eyes. I'm unable to formulate anything to say so I quickly look away, unable to hold his penetrating gaze. He chuckles at my current state.

"Thank you I guess. I'll call her this afternoon," I inevitably whisper to him.

"Why wait? Call her when you get home." I look up to see that he is still staring at me.

"I have church this morning, so I will call her later today. Happy now, or do you have more questions you would like an answer to?" I snap at him. As much as I would love to keep my life private, I have a feeling that those days are over.

"You go to church? Like every Sunday? Is that why you don't work Wednesdays too?" he questions. I take a deep breath before I answer him.

"Yes, detective. Some of us actually do what's right, go to worship and try to live a righteous life. Look, I grew up going to church with my family and that is something I will not compromise. Go ahead and make fun of me, I know you are dying to say something snide," I tell him as I sigh loudly, waiting for his asinine comments to begin. When I don't hear anything, I look up to see that he is looking ahead at the closed doors, deep in thought. Just as the elevator stops he finally speaks.

"Can I go with you?"

I stand stunned, then I begin to laugh. "You really want to go to church? You know, you shouldn't go to church just to find your next victim because you are out of options here," I tell him, clearly trying to dissuade him. I realize that he is serious, triggering my laughter to swiftly fade.

"Bella, I don't want to go to get a date. I would like to go because I just want to, okay? So, what time do I need to pick you up?" he says, clearly perturbed with me.

"Uh, do you know what to wear to church?" I ask him as we walk to my car, desperately trying to give him an out.

"Contrary to popular belief, I was raised to be a gentleman. Of course, I know what to wear to church," he answered, aggravated. "I do have some questions though. First, you don't go to some cult where they speak in tongues and bite the heads off snakes do you? Secondly, is this one of those places that wants five hundred dollars to purify me or whatever?"

"Wow, okay. We don't speak in tongues, just in English and there are no snakes except maybe for you this morning. Furthermore, it would take much more than five hundred dollars to deem you pure, so don't worry about that," I laugh although by the look on his face proves that he doesn't appreciate my humor as much as I do.

When we arrive at my car I turn to him again, still highly amused. "Text me your address and I'll pick you up." He furrows his brow in response.

"Surprisingly, I don't have your number yet, but this is a perfect opportunity to right the wrong," he voices me as he reaches in his pocket to retrieve his phone.

"Since you seem to have access to so much of my personal information, you better start tracking that down before nine, don't you think?" With that, I close my door and drive off, extremely proud of the way I just handled Mr. Edward Cullen.

As I drive home, I realize that my feelings are a scattered mess right now and I need to get myself together before worship. My mind doesn't need to be focused on the tall, green eyed man that has me currently out of sorts.

* * *

With fifteen minutes to spare, my phone betrays me with the inevitable tone of an incoming text message. I frown as I retrieve the device from my purse and check the message.

 _My dearest Miss Bella, it would give me great honor to escort you to morning services today. Please find it in your heart to pick this lonesome sinner up so that I may be granted the opportunity to ask your permission in the future to court you properly…_

I can't read anymore of the garbage he sent me, otherwise, I would be too nauseated to leave the house. I quickly send him my snide response.

 _Spare me the theatrics, it doesn't impress me. Just tell me your address, doof._

I'm swiftly satisfied with a simple reply of his address. When I arrive at the modest townhouse I find that he is waiting by his car for me. What surprises me the most is that he is wearing a tailored dark grey suit with a royal green tie. I stare in disbelief, taken aback that he is taking this seriously. He opens the door to find that I am still in shock.

"Why Miss Swan, I do believe that you are appreciating my handsomeness this fine morning," he chuckles. My shock quickly turns to repulsiveness as I shake myself out of my stupor and sneer at him.

"Shut it Edward, control yourself for once," I tell him disdainfully which causes him to laugh out. I wear a mask of contempt as I navigate through traffic to the small church building.

We arrive just as worship is beginning. I quickly nod to Edward to follow me to a pew toward the back of the auditorium. As we walk he gently places his hand on my lower back guiding me to a seat, this gesture does not go unnoticed by the many older women in attendance. One by one, the prying eyes of the congregation turn to us as, surveying the new visitor with the quiet girl. I glance down the opposite pew as ours to find the biggest busybodies of the assembly staring at us. I throw them a small smile, hoping to dissuade them from their obvious thoughts. The three older ladies quickly smile back, then begin waving. I'm shocked by their behavior. I look at Edward to find him waving joyfully back at them. I slap his arm, telling him to pay attention to the announcements and prayer requests.

Edward sits dutifully beside me through the singing, trying to follow along to the hymns being sung. When the preacher stands and begins to deliver his sermon, Edward begins to fidget, obviously bored. I lean over to him, keeping my eyes forward the entire time.

"If you would pay attention, you might learn something."

Edward rests his arm behind me, silently drumming the back of the pew with his fingers. He sighs and begins to look around the auditorium. I catch myself turning my head, following his actions. I notice that most everyone is still looking at us, especially the old ladies. Surprised, I gasp and turn back to the front of the room, shutting out the distractions and stay focused throughout the sermon, until the last hymn is sung.

When the service is finished I am determined to leave as quickly as possible, before we are confronted by anyone. I'm terrified of what Edward might say to someone. I stand and motion to Edward to follow me, just as we are in the foyer with the doors in sight I hear laughter behind me. I turn to see Edward encircled by the very ladies I was afraid of having to talk to. I begrudgingly turn, slowly walking to where Edward is detained.

"Bella, where have you been hiding this charming young man?" the leader of the gossip group, Carmen, sweetly questions. I give her my best smile and take a deep breath before answering.

"Mrs. Carmen, I haven't been hiding anyone. This is Edward, I work with him at the hospital." This undoubtedly causes many oohs and aahs from the gaggle of ladies surrounding us. Edward, extremely amused by my discomfort, throws his arm around my shoulder pulling me closer to him.

"Do you see what I mean Mrs. Charlotte? I can't convince this beauty that we would be great as more than just work colleagues, what do you think?" Edward has the audacity to ask. I stand with my mouth wide open, in complete shock at his brazenness.

"Oh, my dear, listen to him. You're getting up there in years, they won't be lining up at your door for much longer," the last of the trio, Mrs. Maggie, readily supplies. I didn't think my level of embarrassment could reach any higher. I know my face is ten shades of red by now and my breathing is unsteady. I am unable to respond to the accusations being thrown at me.

"Mrs. Maggie, I think you are forgetting that Bella here is still young. I have plenty of time to inevitably wear her down," Edward replies while winking at the ladies, which causes them to giggle. They eventually walk down the hall, still chattering away with Edward. I continue to stand in the foyer, in a state of stupor. After a moment, I realize that the ladies have led him to the fellowship hall. They obviously intend to keep him, but all I want to do is escape as quickly as possible. I swiftly walk to the hall where I find them all occupying a table toward the back. Edward spots me first, causing him to stand and wave me over, which I reluctantly drag myself to them.

"Bella, did you know they were having a meal today? Sweet Mrs. Carmen made a chocolate cake that she insists I have, and Mrs. Maggie made a pecan pie. Bella, a pecan pie! As soon as I heard cake and pie I knew we had to stay," he gushes as the viper ladies continue fawning over him. I feel like I'm stuck in a bad dream that I'm unable to wake from.

"Well, I wasn't planning on staying since I didn't have time to make anything for the meal," I sheepishly reply, hoping that I will be permitted to leave.

"Honey, that's okay. Charlotte made a few dishes, you can claim one of hers as your own," Carmen voices to me as she walks arm in arm with Edward to the food table. I reluctantly follow them as they load Edward's plate with their dishes then send him back for their desserts. When Edward finally sits down to begin eating his three loaded plates of food, the vipers all sit and watch like he is a side show attraction in a carnival. To his credit, he lavishes them with praise for each of the dishes he's been served, much to their delight. I sit back and watch with amazement as he completely wins them over. Throughout the meal, he answers all their questions, both medical and personal. When we rise to finally leave, they insist that he return for the next service and that they will save him a seat. I have never been treated as well as he has in the short amount of time that he has been here. I have been attending here since I started college, and I have yet to have the type of conversations that Edward has just had. The only thing I had ever been asked was what months I was available to teach the baby class. I felt extremely off put by how they welcomed Edward with open arms.

"Bella, you need to study with this one," Mrs. Charlotte says, interrupting my internal chastisement. I smile and nod my head in acknowledgment to her. Just what am I going to do with this man?


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry **this is short and sweet. I know exactly how I want this to end, I'm just having a hard time getting it there. It will start to pick up now, however.** Hopefully **, I will be able to update again soon. Thanks for sticking with me!**

* * *

"Hello, Alicia? This is Bella Swan. I was told by Edward that there may be an opening coming up on L&D and that I should contact you about it," I said quickly into the receiver, my voice shaking with nerves.

"Oh, right. Yeah, Edward said you would be calling me soon. One of my nurses will be moving in about three months, her husband is in the military and they are being transferred out. I would prefer to hire from within before I have HR post the job to the nursing agencies. Do you have any experience with L&D?" Alicia asks politely.

"Not really. I did the mandatory rotation during my clinicals in school, but that was where I wanted to work if I hadn't signed up for the tuition reimbursement. My contract is currently up in four months for Med/Surg. I'm just weighing my options and trying to see what's available."

"Bella, I'm not going to beat around the bush with you. I've already asked around and you have glowing recommendations from fellow staff and supervisors. If you want the job, it's yours. You will still have to come to see me for a formal interview and complete all the paperwork though. I'm sure I can work something out to have you begin training on the floor before your contract is up on Med/Surg, that way you can transition in without any interruptions. The pay is higher than what you have been receiving, and the position that will be available is on nights. You will have a probationary period to ensure you are a good fit for the floor, but I don't see that being a problem. I need a team player who is compassionate and caring, from what I have gathered, that is you."

I am shocked into silence for a moment before I regain my senses. "If you don't mind me asking, who did you speak with that talked me up so much?"

"I spoke with Emmett and Penny, who had nothing but wonderful things to say about you. Edward Cullen is actually who first brought your name to my attention though. He gave me a letter of reference for you from Dr. Volturi, which I have never seen that man have anything nice to say about anyone," she chuckled.

"Wait, you mean letters of reference have already been turned in to you? Dr. Volturi wrote one for me? Wow, huh." I sit, shocked by the revelation.

"Obviously, you're an excellent nurse if Dr. Volturi has noticed. Like I said, the job is yours if you want it. Just let me know by the end of the week. Hopefully, I will be speaking with you soon Bella," she happily said as she ended the call. I sat dumbly, still cradling the silent phone to my ear. I'm elated that I will actually have a job that I will enjoy going to, but at the same time terrified about remaining here. Specifically, staying at Saints Memorial. I'm getting too comfortable with Edward, which I know will lead to trouble. I must remain strong and continue to push him away. It will be best for me, and him in the end.

* * *

"I hear someone is the new labor and delivery nurse," Edward sing songs as he approaches the nurses' station, holding a cup of coffee in each hand and a smirk on his face.

"You know, it's funny. Alicia already had a letter of reference for me from Dr. Volturi, and recommendations from some co-workers. Any idea how she would be in receipt of such things, Mr. Cullen?" I ask, studying him carefully. His mouth opens and closes several times, while he tries to formulate an answer to my question. I sit back, thoroughly amused by the effort he is putting forth.

"Before you get mad, hear me out. Alice doesn't want you to leave either, so she may have helped me with Alicia. I'm not supposed to tell you, Alice threatened my manhood if you were to find out. She is small, but terrifying."

I chuckle at his statement, knowing exactly how Alice is. He looks up quickly, shocked by my response.

"Alice already told me, she can't keep anything to herself. I'm just surprised by the effort you put into this whole thing. You're working pretty hard, unfortunately, you're not getting anything from me just because you somehow got me my dream job." Once the words left my lips I knew that I had gone too far. His face went from relief to anger in a split second.

"Why can't you just say thank you and be nice to me for once? I don't know what else to do to show you that I've changed. Everyone sees it, but you can't. You can't let me be better in your mind. I'm not the same person that I was, but you just refuse to let my past go. Congrats on your job." He bitterly said as he threw the cups of coffee in the trash and stormed away, irately walking down the hall. Before I could comprehend everything that he told me, Alice walked up behind me.

"Bella, when are you going to realize that man likes you. Like, really likes you. So much so, that he has been working on getting you that job for at least a month now," Alice tells me. The look of astonishment on my face is enough of an answer for her to continue.

"Now you tell me, does that sound like anything Edward Cullen has ever done before for anyone? You have changed him. I don't know how, but you have, and he is doing everything he can to prove it to you. If I were you, I would hunt him down and make amends, even if you don't feel the same about him as he does you. Let him know you appreciate what he has done for you, before you break him," she says as she turns and walks to a patient's room.

I know she is right but apologizing to Edward is a hard pill to swallow. I begrudgingly set off to find Edward, luckily, I don't have to go too far. I find him in the medication room on the floor, stocking the cart. I clear my throat to get his attention. He turns his head in my direction, but once he sees that it's me he goes back to his task. I enter the room and stand at his side, gazing at his progress.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I was sorry for being a jerk to you?" I reluctantly turn to see that he is still ignoring me. I sigh and continue. "It's been a long time since anyone has done anything for me, I'm not used to it and I don't know how to accept it. I really do appreciate what you did, so thank you." I breathe out, relieved that I got all the words I intended out. I look back to Edward to find him staring at me, his piercing green eyes evaluating me cautiously.

"Was that so hard to say? All I was wanting was a simple thanks, but you always have to be so snarky to me. I'm sorry I let it get to me. Bella, you're important to me, I just want you to stick around, okay?" he states, smiling down at me. Now I'm confused by his disclosure. It's one thing to assume, another for him to outright tell me his feelings. I feel like my skin is crawling, I'm so unnerved by everything he just relayed.

"Edward, I don't know exactly what you are saying, but just trust me when I say that you don't want to get close to me. It will be best all around if we just stay acquaintances, alright? Please don't try to get close to me, I have managed to keep my distance from everyone in this state and even my family. I can't have it ruined now. I'm sorry," I say as I rush out of the room and leave Edward calling after me. I can't let him see the tears falling down my face. He can't see that an epiphany has hit me, in the middle of my shift in the med room with him at my side. The realization that I am falling in love with Edward Cullen. Even worse, that he may be falling for me as well.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Short filler chapter. This is a little look into Bella's past. Edward will be a major force in the next chapter. Please follow/favorite/review!**_

 _ **S. Meyer owns the characters, I own the rest.**_

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"I'm fine."

This is the one lie that is universally accepted. Just think about it, how do you answer when you are asked the simple question, "How are you?" The most typical reply is "I'm fine." What about when you are questioned with "Is something wrong?" My automatic response, "I'm fine, really." The easiest way to appease anyone who asks, that in all actuality, doesn't want to know what is troubling you.

The truth is that I haven't been "fine" in a long time. It is just much easier to lie and move on. I keep to myself. I have decided to shut out my family and push aside my friends. The people I have chosen to shroud myself from have done nothing wrong, it is simply to protect them from what is destined to happen. If I am forgotten, it won't hurt them when I'm gone.

My world began to crumble away when I was a naïve fifteen years old. Up until that time, I was a happy, outgoing young girl. My sophomore year of high school was typical, filled with clubs, sports, and friends. I wasn't particularly popular, but I was well liked. It was such a simple time, one that I took for granted.

I remember walking into the house after school to find my parents in the living room. I found it odd since my dad usually didn't come home until the early evening from his job. The look on their faces made me stop in my tracks and begin to panic. It was then that I was told that my father was succumbing to the illness that was going to end his life prematurely. I refused to accept that. He was young, a mere thirty-eight. He was active and healthy-wasn't he? The worst part, the revelation that this disease was hereditary, to know that my sister and I might one day be afflicted with it.

Charlie Swan passed from this life when I was eighteen, a month after I graduated school. For three years I had to bitterly watch as the disease robbed my father of all quality of life. I found out later that my parents knew of his illness for many years before he was symptomatic. That only made the pain of his death worse for me. I stayed awake at night, agonizing over the way he must have hidden the pain and worry from us. My older sister, Rosalie, never really acted like she could be bothered by any of it. She continued with life, just as it was before dad was sick, only when he died did she show any emotion. I hated her for it. I hated that her "perfect life" couldn't be interrupted for the man who gave us everything. I hadn't realized that Rosalie remained stoic simply as a means of dealing with it, she tried to remain strong for us. I wish I could have said the same for myself. I was a mess. My grades suffered, I dropped out of all extracurricular activities. I couldn't see the point of anything, knowing that my dad was fading.

I came to the realization when he died that I wanted to be a nurse. I wanted to comfort those who were dying and counsel their families. I was determined to change the world, one patient at a time. I look back at that time in my life and shake my head at my innate innocence. If only I knew then what I know now. How years of watching the death process have jaded me. That is why I crave to leave this floor and work on a floor full of life. Witnessing a new life enter the world seems completely refreshing, especially considering that I will never get to experience that myself.

I am resolved to the fact that I will die young. I will die a slow, devastating death. I know this because four years ago my sister and I underwent genetic testing, to see if we were carriers. My sister received her envelope first, the envelope that held the future of her life with her new husband. She, thankfully, tested negative. She could have children and go about living a life of normalcy. I prayed fervently for the same outcome. My prayers were not to be answered how I desired. One word stood separately from the rest on the yellow form: Positive. That one word sealed my fate. That one term changed my life.

I never told my family of the results, I let them believe what they wanted to. They turned a blind eye as I slowly began to isolate myself from them. They thought it was due to my school work. It started with not coming home for holidays, then forgetting to call and check in. Thankfully, my sister kept our mom busy with her new husband and the desire to start a family. My mom was further distracted by her own new marriage, to a man older than her, also a widower. My latest trip home would be my last. I did everything I wished to accomplish on this visit. I met my nephew, Luke, an infectious personality in his own right. I marveled at how my family was living their full lives, without me in it. Without the knowledge that I was saying goodbye.

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"Why exactly do I have to dress up for this stupid party? It's mandatory anyway, so why do I have to put any effort into how I look?" I pestered Alice as she picked through racks of dresses. She insisted that I dress up for the annual Christmas party for work. The night shift would be celebrating the holiday in three days at a local ballroom rented by the hospital. The only bright spot with this was that Edward would not be there, it was for the nursing and support staff only.

"You know as well as I do that you never dress up. You wear yoga pants with holes and stained shirts when you aren't at work. Do you even brush your hair or is it just stuck in that bun all the time?" I scowled at her patronizing words.

"I'll have you know that I own many pairs of jeans as well that I wear out of the house. And yes, I do brush my hair. I just don't like to put much time into trying to tame the beast," I replied. Alice rolled her eyes at me, opening her mouth to further chastise me when she pulled out a stark, red dress.

"This is it, this is what you are wearing. Go try it on," she demanded, not leaving me any room to argue. I dragged my feet the entire way to the dressing rooms while Alice stood outside the door. I hung up the dress and admired it. It had a gentle V-neck with a full skirt and lace overlay. It was modest but alluring at the same time, perfect for me even though I would never admit it. I glided the garment over my head, letting it flare out as it settled on my body. It hid all my imperfections and gave me the illusion of femininity that my clothes lacked. I reluctantly left the confines of the small room, to face Alice. I hoped that she felt the same as I did about this dress. She scrunched her face, scrutinizing every detail as she demanded that I turn this way and that. I stood in front of her, beckoning her to tell me what she thought.

"It's is absolutely perfect! You're definitely wearing that to the party, even if I have to force you to do it!" She excitedly says. I nod my head at her while smiling. Alice then leaves me to change as she hunts for her own dress to wear. I stare at my reflection again, an epiphany hitting me. I decided at that moment to begin to live life for myself and be happy with what time I have left instead of pushing everyone away. It's time I live before it's too late and I'm left with regret.


End file.
